1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an impact imparting device and more specifically to a device to assist in driving drive rings into proper position.
2. Background of the Prior Art
The laying of cable, such as telephone cable or computer cable requires that the cable be properly secured along its length. This requires securing the cable to a wall, a ceiling or other similar object in order to properly hold the cable in place. One way of accomplishing this securement is to drive a fastening device, such as a staple, into the desired point of securement. The staple straddles the cable and thus does not inflict any damage onto the cable. However, in many situations, such as placement of telephone cable within a structure, a staple is too small to adequately hold the cable. Therefore, a drive ring is used for cable securement. The drive ring is relatively larger than a staple and is able to penetrate deeper into a wall or ceiling and is thus much better at securely holding the cable thereto.
Drive ring installation is much more difficult than that of a staple. Staple guns of many different designs, both automatic and manual, are known in the art. However, devices to assists the installation of drive rings are yet to be proposed. The current method of drive ring installation is for a worker to hold the drive ring with one hand and to impart a force onto the drive ring with a hammer or similar object with the other hand.
Such a method of drive ring installation has obvious drawbacks. By being required to hold the drive ring with one hand while striking the drive ring with the other, the worker exposes himself to potential injury with every strike of the hammer. One wrong strike and the worker can seriously bruise or break his fingers and thumb. Furthermore, such an installation method is very inefficient whenever the drive ring must be driven into a surface that is not readily accessible to the worker such as a ceiling or underneath a floorboard. Such installation requires the worker to either ascend a chair or ladder in the case of a ceiling, or to lie on the ground or to strike the drive ring blind in the case of a floorboard. Either scenario is time inefficient and has the potential to cause injury to the worker performing the installation.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a device that assists a worker in securing a drive ring to a fixture such as a wall, ceiling, or floorboard. The device must be efficient to use without exposing the worker to undue potential injury. Ideally, the device will have similar installation efficiency whether used to install a drive ring above a worker's reach or below his line of sight. The device should be of relatively simple design and construction and should be easy to use and maintain.